Vote Leaves Trailer City Open

WINTER GARDEN -- In an unexpected move, city commissioners Thursday approved a five-year density-reduction plan for Trailer City that does not mention closing the mobile-home park for seniors.

City leaders voted 4-1 only to allow the city to purchase mobile homes in the park offered for sale, relocate remaining homes to meet zoning codes and help pay for residents wishing to move their homes elsewhere.

Commissioner Theo Graham voted against the new ordinance, saying the measure appeared to be a first step in closing the park without saying so.

In June, commissioners approved a controversial plan to close the city-owned park in eight years through attrition. That measure brought howls of protest from park and city residents who favor keeping it open.

"The [new] plan does not close the park," City finance director Mike Bollhoefer told an audience packed with park supporters. "Commissioners can reassess the park's status after five years. It doesn't force anyone to find a new place to live."

He said the new ordinance addressed park overcrowding and improves the quality of life there for residents.

But park residents remained suspicious. Several said they suspected the new ordinance was a ruse that allowed commissioners to revisit park closure in five years, instead of the original eight years.

"Fighting City Hall is a challenge," Cole told commissioners. "First there was a plan to phase the park out in eight years. I understand that plan was accepted.

"Now I'm faced with a plan that reassesses closing the park in five years."

Winter Garden resident Richard Napotnik also accused commissioners of adopting a plan that will make it easier to close the park sooner by reducing the number of mobile homes.

The plan would allow the city to cut in half the number of homes in the park from about 160 to 80 to meet fire and zoning codes.

Graham sided with park residents, as he has in the past. "We're not going to close, but we're cutting everything back," he said. "We're not forcing anybody to sell, but they'll have to sell to the city if they can't sell to anybody else because the park is closing."

Graham said he predicted that once half the park's homes are gone, commissioners will come back with a plan to close it for lack of revenue.

City Manager Hollis Holden, considered by many to be the plan's chief architect, looked glum and said little throughout the meeting. But he responded to Graham's allegation with, "Not true."